1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a coated confectionery having a crispy starch based center with a thin rigid outer coating which is preferably a sugar shell coating. The coated confectionery of this invention is highly shelf-stable, particularly since the thin rigid outer shell maintains its integrity even after lengthy storage. The invention further relates to a conditioned crispy starch based center. The starch based center of this invention may be comprised of flour, kernels, grain or starch from any starch source. The invention also relates to the method of preparing the coated confectionery of this invention and the conditioned crispy starch based center.
2. Related Background Art
Coated confectionery, and particularly sugar shelled confectionery, have long been known. For example, the extremely well known M&M.RTM. chocolate candies are chocolate centers having sugar shell coatings. Other examples include Nestle's Smarties.RTM., Hershey's Reeses Pieces.RTM. and the like.
The preparation of coated confectioneries having a crispy starch based center with a thin rigid outer sugar shell presents several technical hurdles that must be overcome to ensure a product having excellent quality. First, the center cannot be soggy. In addition, cracking of the outer shell must be avoided to prevent premature staling of the product. Confectioneries having crispy starch based centers and thin sugar shell coatings are known, but have not avoided these problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,787 describes a dessert preparation including a chocolate coated crisp puffed rice cereal combined with a dessert based powder. It is said that the chocolate coating protects the rice cereal from becoming soggy after the dessert preparation is mixed with water or milk. There is no disclosure or suggestion of conditioning the rice cereal or of coating the rice cereal with a rigid sugar shell coating.
A coated confectionery having a crispy starch based center with a thin rigid outer coating which does not crack even after prolonged periods of storage would be highly desirous.